Ramp structure



H. N. DAVOCK July 29, 1930.

RAMP STRUCTURE Filed June 1, 1929 Fig J.

NVENTOR M BY 7mm@ w1@ @KM ATTORNEYS Patented "July 29, 1930 PATENT? oFFIcE.

Y :MarlowA N. DAvooK, on BIRMiNGHAM, MICHIGAN RAMP STRUCTURE Application alanine 1,1929. serial No. 367.772.

This invention relates to ramp structures for garages and has for'its object to provide aramp structure particularly adapted for a garagebuilding' of moderate size which will afford easy access tothe various floors of the building with a minimum deduction from the storage space of thelioors for ramps and Y aisles.

A further object of the invention Vis to provide a ramp structure of the yclass de-v scribed 'which may be constructed at a cost but little greater than would be involved in providing the same area of ordinary oor space. Y vi5 In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a garage building of mypreferred construction, and in said drawings;

Y Fig. 1 is a plan vview showing a floor of a building having my improved ramp;

2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. l Fig. 3 is a section on line of Fig. l; and f Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification.

In the drawings the building disclosed in 25 Fig. l is designed for a lot one hundred feet i wide. This is a common-dimension for ci-tyl lots which usually run two'hundredffeet'or three hundred feet to the block.V Tliiswidt-h` of building permitsfour rows of cars to be stored with their long axes extending transversely of the building as-shownin Fig'l,

and also allows two aisles of suficient width, the aisles being arranged between the outer rows; of cars and the middle rows.

" By this arrangement the aisles indicated at p l terminate opposite the path of movement Y ofthe cars on the ramp indicated generally at 2. The ramp provided in this building is a semicircular vspiral ramp whosecenter is 40 a column 3 spaced from the adjacent wall 4 ofthe building by a distance Vequalto the radiusfof the spiral, `which inturn must be at least las great as thejturningradiusof largest carswhich the garage is intendedhto house. The pitch of the'ramp is determined,

of course, by the ceiling heights of the various floors. lWith a 12-foot ceiling, which is ample, theggrade kat-a point corresponding with the middle ofthe aislesl will belabout 15%. Near the center of course the'grade is steeper, but the turning radius of the automobile limits the path taken on the ramp and for'even the smallest turning radius of automobiles as built today, a ramp making a rise of one floor in a half turn will notibe too steep toclimb. i

' The space at the center of the spiral where the grade is too steep may preferably be used for stairs as indicated at ta, and between the stairs and the first ears of the middle rows' l preferably leave `an aisle space 5 for the passage of cars from one'ramp section to another. 1

. The distinguishing feature of the ramp of the present application is thatthe ramp occupies'the entire end of the building between the center column 3 and the wall 4.' The floor in this portion of the building extends from one Hoor to the next floor above, the surface of the ramp being generated by a line'revolving about the column 3 and simultaneously risingvertically at a rate to move from one Hoor level-to the next floor above during a half turn around the center of the column 3.

Otherwise stated, the surface of the ramp is level in a directionV radial to the column 3 as indicated in Fig. 3, which is a section on line?) of Fig.` Land will presenta uniform gradeto a car traveling ina circle about the column 3 as a center, the grade being steeper near the centerand flatter atl greater distances therefrom, as indicated bypFig. 2,

which isa section on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

' As shown in Fig-1, the ramp is supported onl the central column 3 by radial girders 3* extending to the side and end walls of the build-ing. 'lfhe driveway of the ramp will preferably be formed of a slab ofreinforced concreteV which may vbe conveniently constructed by running the reinforcing fabric from girder 'to gir-der in the path above described.4 4 Als pointed out above,.the pitch of the spiral at `a distance from the center of the spiral suc'hfas to be followed. by a car of average turning radius, does not present a grade whichis too steep to be readily climbed by the This portion of the ramp, which I have passage of cars from one floor to another. This portion of the ramp is preferably banked as shown in Ifig. 3 to provide some compensation for the centrifugal force of the cars moving in a curved path up and down the ramp. Beyond the portion 6 of the ramp the surface of the ramp may be flat, as indicated at '7, Figs. 2 and 3, and this portion of the ramp may be readily used for parking As stated above, the slant or inclination of the ramp becomes less at greater distances from the center of the ramp and beyond the path 6 the slope ofthe ramp is not too great for the cars to be held in place by their'- brakes in the usual manner without chocking the wheels. This portion of the ramp may thus be utilized for live storage, the carsy being as readily gotten in and out the garage as the c ars from the several floors of the buildino'. I Y

aIn Fig. 4 I have illustrated a construction wherein the central portionof theranip within the path 6 may also be utilized for the storage of oars. A

Instead of extending the supporting beamsY for the ramp radially from the central column 3 to the walls of thebuilding as shown inv Fig.v 1, I' substitute for the column 3V a series of columns positioned just inside the curbing 8 which marks the inner boundary of the path 6. Two of these columns 9 are inthe' line 10 which divides the ramp portion ofthe iloor from the-floor proper, the other two colunins 11 vbeing positioned .at intermediate points along thecurb 8. The floor within the boundary thus delined by these vcolumns is level and forms a continuation ofthe Vgarage iloors, thereby providing parking space for several cars, as indicated, and also space for the stairs 12 andY elevator shaft' 13 which `vould otherwise take up space rentable for storage. Y j

To support thev ramp floor in this structure, girders 14 are provided extending from the columns 11 to the end walls of the garage.`

Y The other girders 15 which support the floor of the ramp preferably extend from the Corners ofthe building to short girders 16 extending between the columns 9 and 11 at the proper level, as determined by the pitch of the ramp. If desired other columns, indicated vat 15, may be employed tosupport the girders at an intermediate point, but I preferably make the girders ljheavy enough to require no intermediate support, so as to leave the entire portion 7 of theV ramp clear tofacilitate handling cars thereon.

lf through changes in the price of realY estate orfor other causeitrno longer becomes desirable to use the building as a garage, it may VbeA readily converted into an ordinary building having its entire-floor surface in the same plane. The inclined licor of the garage must of course be removed Vand alsothe sup'-- porting girders whichlie inplane's intermediate the ioor levels. The supporting columns, however, need not be disturbed, but will be utilized to support suitable girders extending in the same plane with the girders 'of the floor proper.

"be obvious from an inspection of VF ig. 1.

The objection to ramps in buildings of small sizeas heretofore constructed has been the large amount of space rendered unavailable for live storage by reason of the ramp structure.l That is to say, in a small garage the amount of rentable space lost by reason of the ramp structure is relatively much greater than the percentage of space rendered unavailable ina largerbuilding. In fact, not only is the percentage of space lost greater, but the actual space rendered unusable is greater beca-use theramp has to be at least large enough in diameter to permit the travel of the Ycars on the turning radius for which they are designed, and in a small building the space between the outside of the ramp and the wallsy of the building is too small to perinitV maneuvering the cars where the carscannot pass directly from the ramp to the floor at any point along its rise. lWith my improved construction the only space actually lost is the path 6 and the cross aisle 5, the other aisles of course being required vWhether elevators or ramps are employed.

l. Ina garage building a plurality of horizontal lioors for the storage of cars, said floors occupying-the cross-sectional area of the building except a portion at one end thereof extending from side wall Vto side wall of the building, aramp structure occupying the end of the building between the saidhorizontal, floors and the end wall, said ramp structurecomprising'a pathway curved in a half spiral from one lloor to therother, and floor portions beyond the pathway having their surfaces lying in planes constituting radial extensions of the spiral.

2. In a garage building a plurality of horizontal floors ,for the storage of cars, said iloors occupying the cross-sectional area of the building except a 'portion at one end thereof extending fromside wall to side wall of the building, a ramp structure occupying the end of the building between said horizontal floors and the end wall, comprising a series of vertically superimposed Hoor sections extending in half spirals between adjacent horizontal floors-andalso extending to the end`r and sidewalls of the building.

3. In a garagerbuilding, a plurality of horizontal `kfloors for lthe storage of cars, said iioors occupying the cross-sectional area of the building except a portion at one end thereof extending from side wall to side wall of the building, a ramp structure occupying the end of the building between said horizontalfloors and the end wall, comprising a series of vertically superimposed floor sections extending in half spirals between adja- Y cent horizontal floors and also extending to the end and side wallsr of the building, said floor sections having a surface contour to provide a banked pathway concentric with the axis of the spiral and unbanlred portions extending from the circumference of said pathway to the walls of the building.

t. In a garage building, a plurality of fhorizontal floors for Vthe storage of cars, said floors occupying the cross-sectional area of the building except a portion at one end v thereof extending from, side wall to side wall of the building, a ramp structure occupying the end of the building between the said liorizontal floors and the end wall, comprising a series of vertically superimposed iioor sec- :f tions extending in half spirals between adjacent horizontal floors and also extending to the end and side walls of the building, each superimposed floor sectionV consisting of a single slab of reinforced concrete containing supporting girders extending'in the radial lines of the spiral. y A

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

HARLOW N. DAVOCK.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,771,671. 5 Granted July 29, 1930, t0

HARLOW N. DAVOCK.

Itis hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, after line 102, insert the following paragraph:

The term "end of the building" employed in the appended claims is intended to include any portion of the building bounded by portions of two opposite walls and a connected wall with the ramp structure filling the area bounded by the three wall portions.; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform` to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of October, A. D. 1930.

, M. J.I Moore, (Seal) l Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

